New SM465 shift forks?

[dyeager535]

I don't recall there being a source for these things except OEM until now, but just saw these pop up on Ebay, and was able to find this one on Summit:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/mgr-wt304-22

WT304-22A seems to be the other fork PN.

Here is one of the auctions, since they have pictures and a better description: http://www.ebay.com/itm/182465250828?ul_noapp=true

Fairly inexpensive IMO, for those few who might actually think about changing the forks due to worn coating.

 

[RootBreaker]

is that what is needed to get my trans to stop dropping out of gear when in 2nd?? u know.. L-1-2-3

 

[dyeager535]

is that what is needed to get my trans to stop dropping out of gear when in 2nd?? u know.. L-1-2-3

I've never seen anything that definitively proves one way or another why it drops out of 2nd. I have seen it said that with the coating worn off, that will happen, and replacing with a good fork will resolve it.

It's also said that the snap rings need replaced with a spacer, which I believe GM started doing later on, but it doesn't seem like that is the majority of the problem.

If the nylon(?) coating on the shift fork is gone, it will not move the same distance, so that seems a plausible explanation. I've never swapped forks to figure it out, but I believe that is a fairly easy swap, since you don't have to do anything except take the top cover off to access them. If you have the removable trans tunnel, would certainly make the swap faster. Mine doesn't do it consistently enough (yet) to make the swap and notice the difference.

 

[RootBreaker]

gotcha...

all i know is im planning on a 8.1L and to please the wife cough cough.. contemplating an automatic cough cough...
but if i dont..i thinking ZF6 LOL... but that isnt definite.. may do 8.1 with SM465.. then later swap that out...
u know baby steps!!!!

still thx for posting. mine will stay in gear if you are on the throttle but when you back off it pops out.

 

[Carcinogen]

mine will stay in gear if you are on the throttle but when you back off it pops out.

Mine too... and its been doing it so long that the dash pad is getting worn from peoples thumb

 

[big dan]

I've only ever taken one apart that popped out of gear and it had a broken snap ring. I rebuilt it with new bearings and built a spacer to take the place of the snap ring. I also replaced the shift forks but they werent bad, just did it cause they were cheap and it was already apart.

I did end up selling that tranny but I put the shift forks in another tranny I still have and they're working fine. Just FYI it wouldn't go into L or 2nd because the forks were worn so bad.